Improvement in signal-lanterns



- J. J. MINER.

Signal Lantern.

Nb. 39,302. Patented July 21, 1863.

VKJ M Ma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH J. MINER, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SlGNAL-LANTERNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,302, dated July 21,1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH J. MINER, of the city of Bufi'alo, county ofErie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Marine Signal and Anchor Lights; .and'I do hereby declare that the follo'wingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, and the letters of reference marked thereon, in which- Figure I is a vertical section of my improved light, and Fig. II is a cross-section of same.

Letters of like name and kind refer to like p lItS in each of the figures.

A represents the base of the lamp, and a the oil-chamber, and a the burner, placed in the center of a circular lens, B, of the kind ordinarily used in lights of this description. This lens is supported upon the base A.

0 represents a close cylindrical case of the same diameter and depth as the lens B, placed above the lens, as represented.

D represents a concave opaque or metal shade placed within the lens upon one side of the burner. It islarge enough to cover a little more than one-third of the lens and prevent t'ie light from showing through on the side which it covers.

E is a reflector connected to this shade, which gives direction to the rays of light through the side of the lens not covered by the shade.

F are two shades of colored glass, one being red and the other green. They are placed inside of the lens in front of the reflector, one inside of the other. They are supported upon the vertical rods f, extending from the base A to the top of the case 0, upon which they slide, so that they may be raisedby means of the chains g up into the cylindrical case 0, or lowered down in front of the reflector. The metal shade D and reflector E are also supported upon vertical rods H, similar to those upon which the colored shades are supported. They may be raised or lowered upon the rods by means of the chainH. By means of this arrangement and combination of movable opaque shade and reflector with the movable colored shades I am enabled to make my lamp answer the purposes of both a signal and anchor light, and this change is effected by simply raising or lowering the shades.

For a signal-light the opaque shade D and reflector E are lowered,so as to throw the light ahead, and as the vessel is upon one tack or the other the red or green shade is lowered, the red shade being lowered and the green one raised when the vessel is on the starboard tack, and the red raised and the green lowered when the vessel is on the port tack while in running before the wind both of the colored shades are raised and a clear white light shown. For an anchor-light it is simply necessary to raise both of the colored shades and the opaque shade and reflector, thus showing a full, clear white light in every direction.

When two vessels are running in the same direction or at slight angles to each other, it often happens that a collision occurs from the fact the vessel astern cannot see the others light, as none of the head-lights now in use throw any light abaft the beam, and yet the vessel ahead can always see the light of the one astern and should there be danger of a collision, the forward vessel, being provided with one of my new head-lights, has only to raise the opaque shade and reflector to show alight which can be readily seen by the one astern.

The opaque shade D will accomplish its important purpose without the reflector E being connected therewith, and hence I contemplate using it with or without the reflector, as circumstances may require.

What I claim is The opaque shade D, made movable, so that it may be raised or lowered, as desired, (with or without the reflector E,) in combination with transparent colored shades, for the purposes and substantially as set forth.

J. J. MINER.

Witnesses:

W. H. FoRBUsH, E. OSBORNE. 

